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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Style Shifts

I've been traveling a lot lately. (That's an understatement.) Recently, going through security at some airport, I saw a woman who looked like the epitome of cool to me. She was wearing a flannel shirt, skinny black jeans, and slouchy motorcycle boots. Granted, I have a serious devotion to Grunge; so it might have been my inner Riot Grrl responding to this ensemble. The 90s was an awesome decade, as far as I'm concerned. Hole, Doc Martens, slips as outerwear; I love it all.

Anyway, this airport sighting has left me with a motorcycle boot obsession. As I've written about before, being a vintage devotee can sometimes make you feel like you have an obligation to dress vintage at all times. But lately, I've been feeling the urge to dress, well . . . cooler.

You're welcome, fellow Pony fangirls.

Perhaps dyeing my hair pink has set off some sort of latent adolescent rebellion. (And perhaps this is why people usually get their pink hair days out of the way in their 20s?) In any case, on some days lately I've been feeling slightly more Joan Jett than Joan Holloway.

One of the awesome things about being a modern woman is that we live in a time when it's not only acceptable but encouraged to indulge personal style whims, whether or not they fit with your usual "look." At the risk of sounding trite, may I quote India.Arie? "Sometimes I shave my legs and sometimes I don't/Sometimes I comb my hair and sometimes I won't/Depend on how the wind blows I might even paint my toes/It really just depends on what feels good in my soul."

While the idea of "personal style" can be watered down in a Lucky magazine sense (Are you a "bohemian eclectic"? A "nouveau prep"?, etc.), I believe there's no doubt that the feminist movement brought us freedom to experiment with fashion in a way that previous generations couldn't. (Of course, I'm not suggesting that this was the major coup of the Women's Rights movement, just a happy byproduct.) Do you agree?

Anyway, my new motorcyle boots are set to arrive tomorrow. (Stop the presses!) I will update you accordingly.

64 comments:

AWESOME!! I'm a bit older than you (grad 1988), but I remember Grunge, altho skewed toward old Punk/New Romantic look. JJ is a total fashion bad*ass in my eyes. I couldn't never figure out how to wear Mcycle boots with dresses, but had a pair of 'granny' boots and work out several pairs of Docs and Chuck Taylors (my 'dress' shoes). Viva La Riot Grrrls!

What a timely post for me! I, too, have been going through a bit of a style challenge. I am that kid who dyed her hair pink in my teens and 20s: I went to high school in the 80s, college in the early 90s. I was and still am, Punk Rock. My style transitioned into Goth (Gothic Punk) in the mid-90s and I've been rocking that look until quite recently. That's when I indulged in my love for retro, but with a more punk edge. I've been wearing a lot of color lately and I dyed my hair back to a more natural strawberry blonde. (YIPES).

I can completely, 100% relate to what you are saying here. Sometimes a gal just needs to embrace who she is deep down and let that person have a voice. Can't wait to see your badass boots!

Hooray! I was punk in the 80s and Grunge in the 90s and now I wonder if I'm to old for either, but didn't feminism also give us never too old?

Kudos to you on recognizing your need for a style change. I've always been all over the place as an adult, stylistically speaking, but I recently lost 40 lbs and did a seriously wardrobe overhaul. Especially for professional clothes, I shined away from my previous very 40s blouse and slacks ensembles and went for a sleeker, more fitted tom boyish menswear look that I feel like I can dress up a little girlier/classier and dress down a little more punk rock.

Viva la 90s! I hope you wear your motor cycle boots with wispy dresses, just like we did back in the day. :)

P.S. "Girls of a Certain Age" is great blog for that kind of grown up rock and roll fashion.

Whoa, you and me both. I have been craving a pair of Docs. I was 15 in the mid 90's and the 90's grunge movement is the epitome of cool for me. I've been looking at all my girly clothes and yearning for something...edgy. I turn 31 this week so it's a good possibility I'm experiencing some sort of identity crisis. So happy to know I'm not alone.

I know a science professor who said that she knew she had to switch out of women's studies at UCSC when she had to defend her whim to paint her toenails once in a while. She also had issues with the assumption that her younger brothers were born with original sin (patriarchy).

That is not to say that she (and I) did not have our problems with sexism in our male-dominated professions. We have bigger fish to fry.

Enjoy your pink hair and save a thought for the young woman in New Delhi, where even elected officials would place the blame of her rape and murder on her dress and behavior.

I'm only 24, but I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, and as far as we're concerned it is still and possibly always will be the late 80s through mid 90s here! I love to dress vintage, I adore wearing dresses and skirts and pretty shoes and makeup, but seriously when it comes down to a comfort day, for me and nearly 99% of the population of Oregon, it's all about boots, slightly unclean jeans, something flannely and soft...

When I moved to New Mexico, it was a huge shock to realize that clunky boots, no makeup, and tote bags (No one ever taught me to use a purse. Why, when bookstores give out canvas totes? What else are they for?) were just as weird there as putting on a full vintage getup. I'm thrilled to be back in Oregon again :)

I can totally relate to what you are saying having grown up in the Seattle area in the 90's, moving to Oregon, and then living in Dallas, Texas for a few years for work. No makeup, no hairstyle, jeans and boots IS my look! In Dallas I completely didn't fit in the fashion mold. And yes! I'm also thrilled to be back in Oregon!

Hey, I grew up in Portland in the '70's, before grunge existed - we just called jeans and hiking boots "appropriate clothes for walking in the hills." (Mom grew up in Arkansas before WWII and hated to see girls in jeans but put up with it for outdoor activities.) My husband really likes how I look in jeans, especially jeans that fit . . . I now work for a small city in Texas, and while I'm perfectly comfortable in a dress and heels, sometimes I'm the only woman in the whole city who isn't wearing makeup!

I couldn't possibly love this post more. I was in college in the early to mid 90's and wore dresses and Doc Martins everyday. I loved that look and still do. I have also been wanting to look cooler over the past few months and have been strugling with changing my style a bit. My husband gave me a Frye boots for Christmas which helps.

This post is true on so many levels... A few years ago I was really into vintage, loved the look, was dedicated to it... But it bored me after a while. I felt limited in my choices and started rejecting garments or projects because they weren't vintage. At the same time, I wasn't so sure about how the style looked on me either: some days I felt a little too old for my own good. So over the past year my style has slowly moved away from vintage and turned into something a lot more relaxed, with comfortable dresses in funny prints, comfy boots and even the occasional jean jacket. I feel truly comfortable in my own clothes now and get even more joy out of sewing them, especially because there are no more boundaries! If I want to wear a jersey maxi dress tomorrow, I will.

Rockin' motorcycle boots will make you feel SO badass, and I can tell you, they will look great with so many of your vintage dresses and skirts! In MN we rock clunky boots out of a combination of weather necessity and hipster ethos, so know that you'll find that your boots will make the existing contents of your wardrobe feel fresh. Except pajama bottoms, boots look silly with jammies.

Wear your boots with the dresses. I mix it up between classic chucks and boots often. You'll walk outside thinking "yeah I'm wearing a pink dress with a Peter Pan collar bc I'm girlie as hell; the shoes say 'I'm about to get some sh*t done'." It's a good look. It worked for Courtney Love.

I totally understand the "Style Shift" phenomenon. We all have fluid attitudes, and our style shifts to match that!

I have my vintage dresses with pretty details, for times that I'm feeling "citified," I have my boots and tough jackets, and then I have my miniskirts & heels for when I feel like I'm in a party mood!

I know for sure that I fit the Gemini personality, because I fluctuate between polished and tousled, feminine and masculine-ish, and tailored to relaxed. We aren't just one thing, and our closets should reflect that!

Sounds like I am in the right place with lots of like minded folks :) I too come from a punk/goth/retro background. When I was a kid I was poor and had to make a lot of my clothes. It became cool when Molly Ringwald did it in Pretty In Pink, but before that I was labeled a freak. I learned to embrace the freakiness of it, and have always mixed punk and retro in my fashion sense. Embrace it! Joan Jett and Joan Holloway can have a love child in your wardrobe. That's what makes it an expression of you and your personality. Have you seen this? http://tinyurl.com/bclpeuq That's how I would like to be remembered!

I get where you're coming from. I used to wear doc martens back in the day, and last year I've bought a new pair (plus another pair of combat boots for good measure). I end up wearing them all of the time, they are comfy and fun.

Haha, were you at the Portland, OR airport by chance?? I love my '60s shift dresses, but I wear them with knee high socks and Victorian-esque boots. I love mixing decades, I'm never devoted to just one, even in one outfit. I think it helps avoid The Costume Effect.

I'm on the hunt for some motorcycle boots too! My husband has a Triumph and I would like a pair of boots for when we go on rides. The thing is that I don't want leather, so that limits my options... When I saw you at Sew LA we talked about the tv show Sons of Anarchy. Have you watched it yet? Watching it made me want a pair of boots hahha :)

I'm wearing motorcycle boots RIGHT NOW! I sprung for men's, because they're built sturdier and they're cheaper, so the look's a little more butch, but I like that. They go great with '60s-style shift dresses and too much black eyeliner, FYI.

I have motorcycle boots because I'm a passenger on my husband's Harley. They're a little heavy to wear for long periods. I do have some short black boots that look like motorcycle boots and I love them. I wear them, as well as my Frye boots(this style is now discontinued), and my cowboy boots with skirts and dresses. I have no particular style, whatever strikes my mood that morning. As a teacher, I have a little more flexibility in what I wear to work. I'll mix vintage with modern. Some days bold lipstick, others a natural color. I'm all about being myself. And, as I make many of my clothes, I sew to suit myself.

The cool thing is that sometimes the clothing from other eras meshes together quite nicely -- I can wait to see which one of your unique frocks you pair with the boots first! I got my hair cut today at the salon I usually go to. Every woman there has something seriously hip going on for themselves and every woman has a completely different style and look and build. I love looking at them -- it's like a cafeteria of styles and looks and it says to me: it's all OK!

i agree. i like the vintage look, and the rocker look, and lots of looks. BTW, after meeting you in person (yes people, she really is that pretty) in Ann Arbor, Michigan for your book signing, my daughter dyed the tips of her hair pink. I think you have a young fan. :)

Grrl, a pair of black leggings, your new boots, and a square-shouldered 40's-style dress would be rockin'!! Especially if you could do your pinkhair up in one of those 40's style (excuse me for the forgetfullness here) "roll-up" hair-do's.

Oh, yes, I can see you totally rocking motorcycle boots! Love that look. My best friend wore a cream lace 60's dress with red 13 hole Docs to my 50th birthday party last week. Don't forget you'll have to take them off when you go through airport security so make sure your socks are cool, too!

My most favorite boots right now are knee-high laceup Timberlands. I discovered you can customize them on their site, and I just might do some in pink one day. :) I love your motorcycle boots and may or may not be seriously thinking about getting some!

(Last time I counted) I own 68 pairs of shoes and boots but my motorcycle boots are definitely in my top three favourite. They work over tights, leggings, skinny jeans and even over bare legs, with rocking dress.

Yeah, I did the grunge thing and now I'm 40 I find myself with a motorbike, so for formalwear I go Joan Holloway, for my sewing business I go 40s, and at home it's jeans, plaid shirt or rock t-shirt, and my beloved biker boots. Who needs just one look? That's like picking just one song to listen to forever.

I will never be 'cool' I will always be nerdy. If I wear grunge its nerdy grunge, if I wear vintage its nerdy vintage even if I go historical its nerdy historical. You can mix vintage and 90s. I would wear a plaid yoked shirt over a vest top with high waist chord trousers and some doc martins. Or wear a 40's floral patterned shirtdress with denim waistcoat and thick socks and boots.

I'm in my early 50s, and so remember the time in the late 1960s and early 1970s when everyone wore the same type of clothes. My mother and her contemporaries all looked like clones with the same hairstyle, clothes, accessories, and makeup. By the time I was in high school in the mid-1970s, things were changing. My high school style was jeans and t-shirts, a big change in just a few years. I've never felt as if I had to be lock-step in style with everyone else, and I celebrate the freedom to express myself. I also think there's a lot less pressure to dress frumpily as you age. I remember being told 15 years ago by elderly women that I should cut my hair since I was in my 30s! But I kept my hair long then and since (and it's about 25% grey now.) Although there's certain styles I won't wear because I don't think they're flattering or modest, I don't feel as though I'm relegated to "old lady styles."

I put on my first pair of Doc's when I was 7, and since then my feet have almost never been out of boots-its long been my opinion that a nice pair of chunky boots is appropriate to wear with anything you want to, and are appropriate for any occassions

Oh Gertie, how I love thee! And all these fabulous people ^^ above me here all off us who love a fabulous frock and a pair of dirty motorcycle boots!

I feel all warm and fuzzy. Can't wait to see your boots. I also turn 40 this year. I bought some Dr Martens Jara boots recently and they are just great. If only I could find bike boots that fit my chunky chunk calves all would be the colour of your hair.

hahaha! I find myself exactly in your same spot, regarding the bike boots. The question is, they are not "rebel" anymore (nothing really is, in fact...), since they are hype, in fashion, and one can see all the celebrities wearing them, with leggins, skinny jeans, skirts or dresses. It feels good to wear "kick ass" boots, but we cannot say they are against the current, specailly when every major brand is making them (and at what prices!). Maybe some military second hand boots would be more appropiate for that purpose?

I've been missing my Docs too. I got rid of them when I moved to a much warmer climate years and years ago. Now that I'm back in the land of snow I'm really missing them. (I'm also missing liquid eyeliner. Something weird is going on.)

Yay! Boots! When I bought my mexican boots lots of years ago I walked around at the university wearing my boots with plastic bags over my socks otherwise I wouldnt be able to remove them from my feet. They should be snug in the beginning because after a while they expand and will sit like buckets on your feet and sound Ka-domp Ka-domp when you walk.

I love my big black boots and wish my knees were ok with me wearing them more. And I love that modern times are finally mostly ok with the fact that sometimes I dress 'boring,' sometimes I dress 40's, and sometimes it's jeans and boots and a purple wig (cause I never had the guts to dye mine like yours). Thanks for, once again, rocking your own style(s) and reminding us all that it's ok for us to do the same. :)

I am possessed by paralyzing jealousy that those boots are yours, and not mine. Oh cruel fates! I think you hit the nail on the head re: feminism and choice, at least as far as I have always seen it. The true gains of feminism are not the things we can do so much as that we can choose to do whatever we wish to do, and the meaning is our own to define.

You just can't hold it back when the mood and style changes. It just does. But from my own selfish point of view, I'm not happy at all. I love to be inspired by your fabulous retro looks and retro sewing! Grunge and biker boots do absolutely nothing for me - and Joan Jett will never take over Joan Holloway in my style department...

Ha ha I'm a bit of a grungy goth, though I have a thing for really loud colourful clothes....I love all the pretty vintage dresses, I just make them more 'me' by making them in ridiculous fabrics and wearing them with my army boots. I love my army boots, and my baseball boots, and my New Rocks - 'pretty' girl shoes are so not me!!!

I think I'm a bit older than most if not all, the other commenters, but therein lies the beauty of freedom of expression. Our styles may be different, but they don't isolate us from one another! I'm more classic (ok, even preppy at times), but always as feminine as I can manage. I grew up with many pretty things, but often in my brother's hand-me-downs, with which I had love/hate relationship. If only I had known I was rocking "the boyfriend look", and knew how to glam it up a little, I could have embraced it more. I'll pick Bean hunting boots over motorcycle boots every time, but I'll admire them on others every time too! Great post!

Love boots with dresses, just saying! I put a bunch of girly + combat boots clippings on my post if you like: http://aimeemajor.com/wp/2011/05/12/how-to-wear-womens-combat-boots/ I ended up choosing the allsaints boots and love them with jeans OR dresses! :) Thanks for the inspiration, Gertie!

I was in a store today and I saw a pair of purple doc martens and they brought me back to a simpler time, and I just fell in love with them. I am trying to very hard right now not to throw them into a virtual shopping cart and buy them.

I miss my boots. I use to wear them all over the place. I swear, those things are really cool to wear everywhere - until I had a child and travelling almost 20 hours in jeans can be traumatic and uncomfortable.

On the other hand, I recently found the boots hiding in the shoe drawer and the heels needs to be repaired. I may send it to the shop soon and get it fix. This mama wants to look good in boots, tight jeans and blouse made from a 1940s pattern!

I think you're never too old for pink hair–did you see any photos of Helen Mirren at the BAFTA awards with her pale pink hair. I keep thinking of adding pink to the natural platinum highlights that have pretty much taken over my once strawberry blonde hair and the more I see it on others, the more it seems to be a good idea.

I'm a lifelong (second-generation, it turns out) devotee of heavy boots. My dad is a Red Wings man, and, when I recently scored a pair of actual vintage engineer boots at Goodwill, my mother gasped and said, "Oh, my God--my brother had those and I wanted a pair so badly, but girls just didn't wear things like that back then!" She's probably wanted them for forty-five years. Luckily, mine are too small for her.

I'm grunge era, too, and I wasted my teenaged years by not having the nerve to fly my small-but-present goth flag. I will always have a place in my heart and closet for dark, rough, clothing alongside my beloved 1940's DuBarry and Advance dresses and retro heels.

hello! i just discovered your blog. i'm quite speechless. it's amazing! although i don't sew AT ALL (i only just learned to crochet, and i cut up and alter old clothes-patterns freak me out), i've had such a fun time looking through your posts. the vintage patterns are incredible, and so is your work! i really enjoyed all of these posts...i found the ones on personal style, feminism, ideas of beauty, and making your own clothes really well-written and intriguing! anyway, just wanted so say great work and i really enjoyed reading. best of luck in all your creative endeavors!